AI Incidents
Real-world cases where AI systems caused harm, classified by risk domain and entity. Data sourced from 
AIID and classified by 
MIT AI Risk Initiative. CC BY-SA 4.0
736 incidents
Deepfake of Former Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat Allegedly Promotes Nord Invest Scam
A reported doctored video falsely depicts former Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat promoting the crypto platform Nord Invest. The manipulated footage, originally from a 2013 Sky News interview, was overlaid with AI-generated audio to mimic Muscat’s voice endorsing a fraudulent scheme. The video was reportedly shared through Facebook.
Reported Audio Deepfake Impersonating CEO Karim Toubba Targets LastPass Employee via WhatsApp
A LastPass employee was reportedly targeted by an audio deepfake impersonating CEO Karim Toubba via WhatsApp. The message used voice-cloning AI in a social engineering attempt to create urgency and bypass security protocols. The employee recognized red flags, reported the incident, and no breach occurred. LastPass shared the incident publicly to raise awareness about deepfake-driven fraud campaigns targeting executives and companies.
Deepfake Porn Sites Use Breeze Liu's Image Without Consent
Porn sites are alleged to have used AI-generated images of Breeze Liu without her consent, leading to severe emotional distress. Liu discovered a video of herself on Pornhub, which was then deepfaked and spread across over 800 links. Despite efforts to remove the content, many sites refused to comply, perpetuating the violation and exploitation of her image.
California Homeowner Reportedly Loses Insurance After Purported Aerial Imagery-Based Roof Assessment
A California homeowner's insurance policy was reportedly not renewed after CSAA relied on aerial imagery, purportedly analyzed by an AI system, to assess the roof as having reached the end of its life. The homeowner, Cindy Picos, reportedly commissioned an independent inspection suggesting the roof had a decade of remaining life, but CSAA declined to reverse the decision. The insurer reportedly did not provide the imagery for review.
OpenAI, Google, and Meta Alleged to Have Overstepped Legal Boundaries for Training AI
In late 2021, OpenAI and other tech giants like Google and Meta reportedly faced data shortages for training AI models. OpenAI is said to have developed a tool called Whisper to transcribe over one million hours of YouTube videos, potentially violating YouTube’s terms of service. Similarly, Google allegedly transcribed YouTube videos, risking copyright infringements. Meta reportedly explored summarizing copyrighted texts without permission and debated acquiring Simon & Schuster for data.
Reportedly Viral AI-Generated Song about 'Diddy Party' Allegedly Mimics Justin Bieber
A purportedly AI-generated song imitating Justin Bieber's voice, allegedly referencing a "Diddy party," spread widely across social media, reportedly leading fans to believe it was authentic. Experts reportedly identified the audio as likely AI-made, citing frequency mismatches and digital artifacts. The reportedly viral song misrepresented Bieber, posing potential brand and revenue impacts for the artist while misleading listeners.
China Reportedly Intensifying AI to Spread Disinformation to U.S. and Taiwanese Voters
AI tools linked to China were used to disseminate disinformation targeting voters in the U.S. and Taiwan, according to a Microsoft report. These operations included AI-generated imagery and audio to influence political perceptions and election outcomes, originating from the APT Storm-1376 (also known as Spamouflage and Dragonbridge).
'Lavender' and 'The Gospel' AI Systems Reportedly Used in Gaza Targeting Operations with Civilian Harm Allegations
The AI system known as "Lavender" was reportedly used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to assist in identifying individuals in Gaza for targeting, while a related system, "The Gospel," was reportedly used to help select and prioritize physical strike targets. Investigations reportedly suggest that these systems operated with limited human review and may have contributed to strikes associated with high civilian casualties. The extent of automation with human oversight, as well as the accuracy of these targeting processes, reportedly remain subjects of dispute.
Scammers Using AI to Impersonate Small Businesses
Scammers are using AI to impersonate small businesses by copying their videos, logos, and social media posts. They create fake listings and ads, diverting customers to cheap knockoffs or stealing their money. This has severely impacted businesses like Bee Cups, Darn Tough Vermont, and Cascade hummingbird feeders, leading to significant financial losses, negative reviews, and damaged reputations. Their deployment of AI makes it challenging for small businesses to combat these fraudulent activities.
Synthetic Voice 'Olesya' by Storm-1516 Falsely Accuses Ukraine in U.S. Election Disinformation Campaign
Russian operatives used AI to create a fake video and voice of "Olesya," a supposed troll in Kyiv, falsely claiming involvement in U.S. elections to support President Biden. U.S. intelligence confirmed the voice was AI-generated. This disinformation campaign aimed to mislead voters, erode trust in democratic institutions, and influence the 2024 election. The incident involved the group Storm-1516, individuals linked to Valery Korovin, and potential veterans of the Internet Research Agency.
AI Deepfakes for Voter Outreach Flood Indian Elections
During the 2024 Indian elections, politicians used AI-generated deepfakes to reach voters, who might be unaware they're interacting with digital clones. Providers like Divyendra Singh Jadoun of Polymath Synthetic Media Solutions created deepfakes for personalized messages. This practice, used by various political parties, is not truthful, as voters may be misled by AI-generated content posing as genuine interactions with political figures.
Mumbai Businessman Reportedly Defrauded via Purported AI-Cloned Voice Impersonating Son
A Mumbai businessman reportedly identified as KT Vinod reportedly lost Rs 80,000 after receiving a call from someone claiming to be a representative of the Indian Embassy in Dubai, who said his son had been arrested. The caller allegedly used AI-generated voice cloning to simulate the voice of Vinod's son, pleading for help. Reportedly convinced of the urgency, Vinod instructed a money transfer via Google Pay. The scam was discovered only after he contacted his son directly.
Scammers Using Deepfakes of Women's Faces and Voices for False and Offensive Advertisements
Scammers used AI tools from HeyGen and ElevenLabs to create deepfake videos of influencers Michel Janse, Olga Loiek, Shadé Zahrai, and Carrie Williams, misusing Lana Smalls's voice in Williams's case. These videos promoted offensive products and false messages, in some cases targeting nationalist Chinese men to boost China-Russia ties, causing emotional distress and damaging the victims' reputations.
Leonardo AI's Platform Alleged to Have Been Used for Creating Nonconsensual Celebrity Deepfakes
Sydney-based startup Leonardo AI's text-to-image generator was alleged to have been exploited to create nonconsensual sexual images of celebrities, bypassing content moderation systems with user-shared prompts.
Holmen, Wisconsin Man Allegedly Used Stable Diffusion to Create and Then Share Sexually Explicit Images Depicting Minors
The FBI has arrested Steven Anderegg of Holmen, Wisconsin for having allegedly used Stable Diffusion to generate about 13,000 sexually explicit images of minors, which he then is also alleged to have shared and distributed, including with at least one minor, via Telegram and Instagram. Anderegg was originally apprehended by state police in March, and this case marks one of the first times the FBI has brought charges against someone for having used AI to generate CSAM.
Statistics
Risk Taxonomy
Caused By
Year Trend
* Oct 2026, ~320 projected
AIID · MIT AIRI · CC BY-SA 4.0